FCH2Rail. The first Hydrogen train carried out tests on the Portuguese Railway network.

2024/04/16

The European project FCH2Rail which developed a bimodal demonstrator train with hydrogen fuel cells, has successfully completed testing in Portugal. Between 3 and 6 April, the H2 train travelled on the Minho Line, making it the first hydrogen train in Portugal. With these tests, the FCH2Rail project achieved a great milestone, having obtained the authorization to run the rain demonstrator in a second European country.

The tests performed in Portugal are part of the extended testing campaign initiated in May 2023 on the Spanish railway network. Now after the testing in Portugal, the train has already travelled more than 8500 km in hydrogen mode. The objective of the tests is to evaluate the behaviour and reliability of the entire hydrogen and battery system, as well as the energy management system developed. By conducting tests on different lines and routes, the goal is to demonstrate the potential of this technology as an alternative to diesel trains, thus contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable rail transport system.

The success in the development of this project confirms and reinforces the commitment of the FCH2Rail consortium to the development of hydrogen trains .as environmentally friendly mobility solution. Besides Infrastructures of Portugal (IP) the project consortium includes CAF, Adif, Renfe, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Toyota Motor Europe, the Spani.sh National Hydrogen Centre (CNH2), and Stemmann Technik. The project is funded by the European Clean Hydrogen Partnership.

In this stage of the tests the project was supported by other companies such as STELLANTIS, which has ceded the use of its facilities in Porriño (Pontevedra) to refuel the train during the testing stage in Portugal, MEDWAY, which has provided train drivers for the operation of the train during the tests, and IBERDROLA, for the supply o;f green hydrogen for the trail tests.